It all started when Francesca and Demetrio fell in love many moons ago in the village of Armo, in Italy. Despite her engagement, Francesca and her mother, brothers and sister soon headed to Australia to be re-united with her father who was working in Coonawarra at Wynns.

Now Demetrio is not a patient man, so after a year of daily letter writing he decided to travel to Australia to marry his fiancée and take her home.

Francesca though had other plans.

Generations of knowledge of growing grapes and making wine, were put to good use when the family's first Coonawarra vineyard was purchased in 1982. The traditions of hand pruning, dryland viticulture and quality not quantity live on.

A new generation of Zema's are now proud custodians of the land, the wines and the family legacy.